Iris lilies, how are things in your hood?

[iris lilies]

There are witnesses who refute the police version of the story. It sounds like Wilson is readying his version of the Zimmerman defense.

The police officer hasn't put forth his version.

But Dorian Johnson, Mike Brown's sidekick, is a fab witness since he's got a prior case pending about lying to the cops. Oh, also an outstanding warrant.

[iris lilies]

I'm sure alot of people won't believe this account of what happened. Surely the officer will get a change of venue for the trial. Or is it possible it wouldn't go to trial?

This case went to the Grand Jury today. It may take weeks. The county prosecutor says more than two dozen witnesses will appear. He wants the process to be thorough, but has to weigh expediting it since this has so much public attention. I hope the hotheads don't prevail, everyone is so insistant on having information NOW! Now! Now!

[jp1]

12% of what? If we actually aren't going to rush to judgement like some accuse (it's actually isn't one side that does this), we have to ask questions like that. I followed all the links and can't find where this 12% number is even coming from. 12% of the registered voters? 12% of those legally eligible to vote? (then it's a matter of registration) 12% of the community - yea but some are children, and many probably have criminal records that preclude voting (espeically as those charges target poor minority communities - it could be quite a lot), so that's not very meaningful. If 12% of the those legally eligible don't vote, one could wonder why they don't vote.



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http://thinkprogress.org/justice/201...ther-standoff/

This article does a pretty good job of explaining the problem. Basically they hold municipal elections off cycle. The white minority population vote at higher (but still low) levels in these elections. If municipal elections were held at the same time as presidential elections the makeup of city government would probably be somewhat different.

[peggy]

Actually, I do remember hearing that the officer was injured very soon after this happened. I believe it was simply stated that he was being treated for 'injuries'. It was brief and buried in everything else, not emphasized, so maybe that's why most missed it. I remember they didn't go into details, just saying he was injured.

Obviously we will never know the complete truth to this as every story has three sides to it...yours, mine and the truth. My only question in this is, why did it escalate to a gun? I mean, whatever anyone thinks about the police, they really don't just go around shooting jaywalkers. Something happened to bring it to this point, and probably not just a mouthy kid either. Cops get that all the time and again, they don't just randomly shoot people. Several witnesses describe some sort of struggle at the car.

[Spartana]

I also heard that the officer was injured (and specifically facial injuries) right after it happened and was transported to the hospital. But I haven't heard any "official" report as to the extent of the injuries. Same as I haven't heard any official reports about anything but then that isn't unusual at all as processing a crime scene and evidence, and doing toxicology and autopsy take a lot of time - as does the actual footwork of an investigation such as gathering info and questioning (and re-questioning) all the witnesses and people involved. Not like on TV at all.

[Spartana]

This case went to the Grand Jury today. It may take weeks. The county prosecutor says more than two dozen witnesses will appear. He wants the process to be thorough, but has to weigh expediting it since this has so much public attention. I hope the hotheads don't prevail, everyone is so insistant on having information NOW! Now! Now!

That was pretty fast! Wonder if the outside pressure from media, etc.. has caused them to expedite this case and convene the GJ before they have enough evidence. But then maybe there is enough already that the prosecutor feels they have a good shot at having it go to trial.

ETA: I was wondering why they are going with a GJ rather then a public preliminary hearing first /or instead). Maybe Mo. doesn't do Prem. hearings or maybe the prosecution wants to keep all info private since GJ proceedings aren't open to the public. Probably this.

[iris lilies]

That was pretty fast! Wonder if the outside pressure from media, etc.. has caused them to expedite this case and convene the GJ before they have enough evidence. But then maybe there is enough already that the prosecutor feels they have a good shot at having it go to trial.

They don't have all of the evidence in yet, they are just beginning the Grand Jury process. If I understand service correctly, this Grand Jury meets one day a week.

Tangential to this although something that many people are misinterpreting, the Feds will not conduct a simultaneous investigation for the same purpose. The Feds are interested if Mike Brown's civil rights were compromised. They do not conduct a homicide investigation, they are not authorized to do so.

Also tangential, Missouri's governor has decided not to remove the St. Louis County Prosecutor from this case. His main reason was that he feared that his legal ability to do so is murky, and he didn't want to cloud this case with that unclear jurisdictional problems. I personally think that's fine because Bob McCullough is a pro and his office has tried thousands of cases. He's not in bumf8ck, MO. The fact that he bickers with the recently deposed County Executive is just politics of the County.

[CathyA]

Is that prosecutor the person whose father was killed by a black man?

[iris lilies]

Is that prosecutor the person whose father was killed by a black man?

yep, his police officer father, killed on duty.

[CathyA]

Hmmm.....will jurors be arbitrarily selected from that area? Won't it be a waste of time if they all might be dead-set for bringing charges against the officer? I wonder if they ever change the venue for a grand jury?